Jumping device toy



March 5, 1968 J. w. RYAN ET AL. 3,371,927

JUMPING DEVICE TOY Filed Aug. 25, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet l JAM a4 ##44/ mmw $9; $5 7 March 5, 1968 J. w. RYAN ET AL 3,

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United States Patent 3,371,927 JUMPING DEVICE TOY John W. Ryan, Bel Air, and Warren Dale Kabot, Manhattan Beach, Calif., assignors to Mattel, Inc., Hawthorne, Calif, a corporation of California Filed Aug. 25, 1965, Ser. No. 482,561 5 Claims. (Cl. 272-57) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A jumping device having an upright staff provided with stirrups or steps on which a rider can stand while grasping the upper end of the staff, and a lower ground engaging end. Ground engaging leg means, having laterally spaced ground engaging portions, are pivoted to the staff and a block of rub1ber-like material is secured to the leg means and the staff, to be distorted in shear upon relative pivotal movement between leg means and staff, to yieldably bias the former to a predetermined position.

The present invention relates to a new and useful jumping device toy and more particularly to a jumping device of the type having spring means enabling a user of the device to propel it along the ground by jumps.

Jumping devices, sometimes called pogo sticks, are known wherein a ground-contacting portion in the form of a steel rod or the like is reciprocably mounted in an upright tubular member for reciprocation against a strong spring when a child-user stands on foot rests provided on the lower end of the tubular member and shifts his Weight up and down. The strong spring enables the user to propel the device along the ground by jumps. While generally satisfactory, such devices do have certain disadvantages.

One disadvantage resides in the fact that considerable skill and agility are required on the part of the child-user to properly propel the device along the ground while maintaining his balance because of the single groundcontacting portion.

Yet another disadvantage resides in the fact that the device must be kept in motion at all times while the childuser is in position thereon because the device will not stand alone, and therefore is less suitable for younger or weaker children lacking the strength and stamina required to maintain such continuous motion in order to achieve effective play value with the device.

In view of the foregoing factors and conditions characteristic of jumping devices, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and useful toy jumping device not subject to the disadvantages enumerated above and having leg means especially designed for supporting the device in an upright position, thereby minimizing the skill and agility required on the part of a child-user to propel the device along the ground while maintaining a proper balance.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and useful toy jumping device of the type described which simulates a jumping kangaroo when it is propelled along the ground by a user by jumps.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and useful toy jumping device of the type described which has improved resilient means enabling a user of i the device to propel it along the ground by jumps.

According to one embodiment of the present invention,

a new and useful jumping device of the type having resilient means enabling a user to propel the device along the ground by jumps is provided. The device includes an elongated member having a hand grip near one end, foot rest means near its other end and resilient means for propelling the device along the ground by jumps when a user shifts his Weight up and down on the foot rest means ICC while gripping the grip to control the device as it is propelled.

A rearwardly extending leg member, which simulates a kangaroos tail, is provided on the elongated member and a pair of spaced-apart, front legs simulating the legs of a kangaroo are pivotally connected to the rearwardly extending member. The pivotally mounted legs are connected to the elongated member by resilient means in such a manner that a child-user may jump on the foot rest means causing the front legs to spread away from the rearwardly extending leg member against the force exerted by the resilient means. Then when the child jumps up from the foot rest means to release his, weight, the resilient means brings the front legs back toward the rearwardly extending member. Thus, the child-user can propel the device along the ground by jumps by shifting his weight up and down.

In one form of the first embodiment of the device, the resilient means comprises .a block of rubber-like material and the rearwardly extending leg is rigid. In a first modifled form of the first embodiment, the rubber block is replaced with a compression spring and the rearwardly extending member comprises a leaf spring. In a second modified form of the first embodiment, the resilient means comprises a torsion bar encased in a rubber block.

According to a second embodiment of the present invention, a new and useful jumping device of the type having resilient means enabling a user to propel the device along the ground is provided. The device includes an elongated member having a hand grip near one end, foot rest means near the other end and a curved member extending rearwardly somewhat from the foot rest means.

. A ground-engaging portion is linked to the member by a pair of parallel links. A resilient block of rubber connects one of the links to the curved member for normally maintaining the curved member and the ground-engaging portion in a predetermined spaced relation. Then when a child user brings his weight to bear on the foot rest, the bias of the rubber block is overcome causing the curved member to move toward the ground-engaging portion. When the child releases his weight, the rubber block pulls the links in such a manner that the curved portion is elevated to its predetermined position.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the folowing description, taken it connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like elements in the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a jumping device constituting a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, partial elevational view of the device of FIGURE 1 with parts broken away to show internal construction;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, partial elevational view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the relationship of certain elements of the device in one operating position of the device;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the resilient means employed in the device of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along line 66 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 7 is a partial elevational view similar to FIG- URE 2 showing a first modified form of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 8 is an elevational view showing a second modified form of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view showing details of construction of the device of FIG- URE 8;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along line 1018 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 11 is an elevational view of a third modified form of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view showing details of construction of the device of FIG- URE 11;

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along lines 1313 of FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 14 is an elevational view of a jumping device constituting a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGURE 15 is an elevational view similar to FIGURE 14 showing the relationship of various part of the device during one operating position thereof.

Referring again to the drawings and particularly to FIGURES 16, a toy jumping device constituting a first embodiment of the present invention, generally designated 10, includes an elongated control member 12 having a handgripping portion 14 near one end 16 thereof. The member 12 may comprise a tubular member having its end 16 covered by a resilient end-cap 17. A foot rest means 18 is rigidly affixed to the elongated member 12 near the other end 20 thereof for supporting a child-user (not shown) thereon.

The pumping device 10 may be supported upon a suitable surface 22 by leg means 24- including a pair of front leg members 26 and a rearwardly extending leg member 28. The rearwardly extending leg member 28 simulates the tail of a kangaroo and has one end 30 rigidly affixed to the elongated control member 12 above the foot rest means 18 by a suitable weldment 32. The leg member 28 includes a curved end 34 which contacts the surface 22. as shown. The member 28 is also rigidly affixed intermediate its ends to the end 20 of the elongated member 12 by a weldment 36.

Each front leg member 26 includes an end 38 which is pivotally connected to the member 28 intermediate the weldments 32 and 36 by a bolt and nut assembly 40. A resilient cap 41 covers the end of each member 26 which is remote from the end 38 to minimize damage to objects contacted by the members 26. The appearance of the device 10 is enhanced by shaping each leg member 26 as shown to simulate the legs of a kangaroo. Thus. from the end 38, each leg member 2 6 has a downwardly extending portion 42 (FIGURE 3) merging into an outwardly and downwardly extending portion 44 from which a portion 46 extends downwardly and forwardly at substantially a right angle to the portion 44 and merges with an upwardly-extending, paw-simulating portion 48. A resilient pad 49 is affixed to the underside of each portion 48 to minimize slippage between the leg members 26 and the surface 22.

The front leg members 26 are biased to the position shown in FIGURE 1 by a resilient means 50 which is connected to the curved portion 20 of the member 12 by a plate 56 which is aflixed to the member 20 by a pair of bolt and nut assemblies 58. The resilient means 50 includes a rather tough block of rubber-like material 60 having an upper surface 62 (FIGURE 5) adhered to the plate 52 by an adhesive weldment or bond 64 and a lower surface 66 adhered to the plate 56 by an adhesive weldment or bond 68. The block 60 is capable of being deformed to the approximate shape shown at 60 in broken lines in FIGURE 5 and of returning to its normal rectangular shape when the weight of the child-user is removed from the foot-rest means 18. The attachment of the upper surface 62 to the plate 52 is reinforced by a pair of bolt and washer assemblies 69.

In use, a child-user may jump on the foot rest means 18 whereupon his weight will displace the front leg members 26 away from the rearwardly extending leg member 28 to the approximate position shown in FIGURE 4 where the resilient block 60 is deformed to the shape shown therein. When the child-user jumps upwardly releasing his weight from the foot-rest means 18, the resilient block 60 returns the front leg members 26 toward the rearwardly extending member 28 causing the device 10 to jump. Thus, the child-user may propel himself along the surface 22 by jumps by alternatingly shifting his weight on the foot rest means 18 while controlling the device 10 with the control member 12.

Referring now to FIGURE 7, a first modified form of the first embodiment of the present invention, generally designated 10a, is similar to the device previously described except that the portion 34 of the rearwardly extending member 23 is replaced with a resilient member 34a which is preferably made of spring steel, which might also be used with the preferred construction shown in FIGURES l6. In addition, the resilient means 50 shown in FIGURE 1 is replaced by a resilient means 50a comprising a coil spring 60a having an end 62a connected to the foot-rest means 18 and an end 66a connected to the portion 46 of one of the front leg members 26 for biasing the leg members 26 toward the member 3421.

A second modified form of the first embodiment of the present invention is shown at 1012 in FIGURES 8-10 and is similar to the device previously described in connection with FIGURES l6 except that the rearwardly extending member 2811 constitutes a continuation of the curved portion 20b of the control member 12b. The leg members 26b are then connected to the curved portion 20b by a saddle member 70 and by a pin 72 having a first end 74 and a second end 76. The saddle 70 includes a bight portion 78 to which a resilient block of tough. rubber-like material 60b is affixed by a suitable weldment 80. The block 60b is also affixed to a bracket means 82 by a weldment 84. The bracket means 82 includes a pair of tabs 86 for connecting the block 60b to the legs 2611 by connecting a tab 86 to an associated leg 261) by a pin 88. One leg 26!) is pivotally mounted on the end 76 of pin 72 and the other leg 26b is pivotally mounted on the end 74 of the pin 72 where they are retained in position on their associated ends 76, 74 by a pair of plates 90.

A third modified form of the first embodiment of the present invention, generally designated 10c, is shown in FIGURES 11-13 wherein a U-shaped saddle 70a is secured by weldments 71 to the curved portion 20b of the control member 12b, both of which may be identical to the ones shown in FIGURE 8, if desired. The saddle 70a includes parallel legs 91 and a bight portion 91a which cage a resilient block of tough, rubber-like material 600 and hold it non-rotatably against the portion 20b. The block 600 includes a bore 92 in which a tubular sleeve 94 is non-rotatably bonded by a weldment 96. The sleeve 94 includes a slot 98 which receives a key 100 for nonrotatably connecting the legs 26b to the sleeve 94 through the medium of a stub shaft 102 which is non-rotatably connected to the legs 26b by cap screws 104. The stub shaft 102 serves as a torsion bar twisting against the resiliency of the block 600 when the legs 26b are displaced from the rearwardly extending member 28b so that the block 60c will return the legs 26b toward the rearwardly extending member 2812 when weight is removed from the foot'rest means 18. 1

Referring now to FIGURES 14 and 15, a second embodiment of the present invention, generally designated 10d includes an elongated control member 12d having a hand grip portion 14d provided near one end portion 16d thereof. A foot-rest means 18d is rigidly afiixed to the elongated member 12d near the other end portion 20d thereof for supporting a child-user thereon. The portion 7 20d curves rearwardly and supports the device 10d upon a suitable surface 22d through the medium of leg means 24d which includes a ground-contacting member 26d connected to the portion 20d by a pair of parallel links 106 and 108. The link 106 includes an end 110 which is connected to an upwardly sloping end 112 on the groundcontacting portion 26d by a pin 114 and an end 116 which is connected to the portion 20d by a clamp 118 and a pin 120. Link 108 is similarly connected to 20d and 26d by pivots 124 and 130. A resilient means 50d normally maintains the device d in the position shown in FIGURE 14 and includes a resilient, tough rubber-like block 60d having one end 134 connected to the portion 200. by a clamp 136 and an end 138 connected to a bracket 140 which, in turn, is pivotally connected to the link 108 by a pin 142.

The Weight of a child-user on foot-rest means 18d distorts the block 60a to the shape shown in FIGURE permitting the portion d to move downwardly toward the ground-contacting portion 26d as the links 106 and 108 fold to the positions shown in FIGURE 15. When the weight of the child-user is removed from the foot rest means 180., the resiliency in the block 60d causes the device 10d to return to its FIGURE 14 position.

While the particular toy jumping devices herein shown and described in detail and fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that they are merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A jumping device comprising: a generally upright elongated control member having a grip portion adjacent its upper end; foot rest means on said member below said grip portion for supporting a rider standing thereon; said member including downwardly and rearwardly directed first ground engaging means rigidly fixed thereto at its lower end; leg means pivotally connected to said member to extend downwardly and forwardly therefrom and having second ground engaging means at its lower end; at least one of said ground engaging means comprising laterally spaced ground engaging portions to provide lateral stability for said device; and a block of rubber-like material having one surface thereof fixedly secured relative to said member and an opposed surface thereof fixedly secured to said leg means, said opposed surfaces extending transverse to a radius from the pivotal connection between said member and leg means, to bias said leg means to a' predetermined angle extending downwardly and forward ly from said member.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said member is provided with a single ground engaging portion and said leg means is provided with a pair of laterally spaced ground engaging portions.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said block of rubber-like material is a rectangular block, said surfaces being opposed outer surfaces thereof.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said block of rubber-like material surrounds the axis of the pivotal connection between said member and leg means and constitutes said pivotal connection.

5. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said block of rubber-like material is positioned intermediate said pivotal connection and said second ground engaging means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,617,665 2/1927 Cashoty 272-57 2,268,439 12/1941 Beebe 105-197 2,978,258 4/1961 Gabrielson 2801.182 3,065,962 11/1962 Hoifmeister 272-701 3,214,183 10/1965 Simmons 2801.11 3,328,028 6/1967 Williams 27257 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,055,180 1953 France.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Examiner. 

